As a homeowner, you take pride in maintaining your property. You know how to keep everything in good working order, but sometimes things happen that are out of your control. The last thing you want to hear when you turn on your air conditioner for the first time in months is a strange clicking noise. If you’re wondering, “why is my air conditioner making clicking noises?”, there are a few potential reasons.
Before you call for AC repair, you can check a few things to see if the problem is with your air conditioner or something else entirely.
Reasons Why The AC Makes Clicking Sounds
Dirty Filters
The accumulation of dirt and debris on the blower motor is one of the frequent reasons for the clicking sound made by window air conditioners. A dirty motor will have to work harder, which will cause it to overheat and eventually fail. The fan vibrates because of too much dust on one side of the motor.
Possible solution:
To clean the motor, turn off the power to the air conditioner at the circuit breaker. Then, remove the access panel and use a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to remove any dirt or debris from the area around the motor. Once the area is clean, you can put the access panel back on and turn the power back on at the circuit breaker.
How to prevent this problem:
You can help keep your air conditioner’s motor clean by regularly changing the air filter. Depending on your filter type, you should change it every 30 to 90 days.
Loose Parts
As your air conditioner ages, certain parts may become loose and make noise when the unit is running. In some cases, the fan blades may become unbalanced and hit the housing, which will cause a clicking sound.
Possible solution:
You can try to tighten any loose parts with a wrench. If you’re uncomfortable doing this, you can always call a professional for help.
How to prevent this problem:
Inspect your air conditioner regularly and tighten any loose parts as needed.
Broken Compressor
If your air conditioner is making a clicking noise accompanied by a hissing sound, it could indicate that the compressor is failing. The compressor is located in the outdoor unit, and its job is to pump refrigerant through the system. When it fails, the entire air conditioning system will stop working.
Possible solution:
If you suspect the compressor is failing, the best thing to do is call a professional for AC repair. It is not a problem that you can fix on your own.
How to prevent this problem:
You can help prevent compressor failure by having regular maintenance performed on your air conditioner. It will ensure that all the parts are in good working order and that there are no potential problems.
Bad Capacitor
The capacitor is responsible for providing power to the compressor and fan motor. If it fails, the air conditioner will make a clicking noise when turned on. In some cases, the unit may even fail to start at all.
Possible solution:
If you suspect the capacitor is bad, you can test it with a multimeter. If it’s not working correctly, you’ll need to replace it. It is a straightforward repair that you can do, but if you’re not comfortable doing it, you can always call a professional.
How to prevent this problem:
You can help prevent capacitor failure by having regular maintenance performed on your air conditioner. It will ensure that all the parts are in good working order and that there are no potential problems.
Worn Out Bearings
The bearings help to keep the fan blades attached to the motor shaft. If worn out, the fan blades will become loose and make noise when they hit the housing. In some cases, the fan motor may even seize up completely.
Possible solution:
If you suspect the bearings are worn out, you’ll need to replace them. It is a relatively simple repair that you can do yourself, but if you’re not comfortable doing it, you can always call a professional.
How to prevent this problem:
You can help prevent bearings from becoming worn out by having regular maintenance performed on your air conditioner.
Conclusion
If your air conditioner is making clicking noises, it could be due to various problems. In most cases, the problem is something that you can fix yourself. However, if the noise comes from the compressor, it’s best to call a professional for AC repair. Regular maintenance will also help to prevent many of these problems from occurring in the first place.
